Lammers case will go toward trial, judge rules

Defense says there's little evidence man did anything but buy a gun

Apr. 2, 2013

Blaec Lammers

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Bill and Tricia Lammers: Bill and Tricia Lammers talk about their son Blaec Lammers, who had planned a mass shooting at the Twilight Breaking Dawn premiere in Bolivar, Mo in November.

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Did a 20-year-old man plot an attack at a movie theater and Walmart store in Bolivar?

That question will be left for a jury after a Monday afternoon hearing in which a Polk County judge ruled there is enough evidence against Blaec Lammers to move the case forward.

Lammers was arrested in November after his mother told authorities Blaec bought an AR-15 and another semi-automatic weapon from a Bolivar Walmart.

His plans, authorities say, were to shoot up a movie theater showing the latest “Twilight” movie. In a recorded interview with investigators played in court during Monday’s hearing, Blaec Lammers apparently said he intended to shoot up a Walmart store — making his way to the ammunition department by the time he ran out of bullets.

“He never did anything but buy a gun,” Cooley said. “We cannot let the climate of the times persevere in this case.”

At one point during the hearing, an unusual courtroom scene unfolded — a mother was called to testify against her son.

Tricia Lammers, called by the prosecution, explained how she found a receipt in her son’s pants pocket. She said the Nov. 13 receipt appeared to be for a gun — $865, paid in cash.

Tricia Lammers said she did not know where her son would have gotten so much cash but added he had been attempting to overdraw funds from his savings account.

She testified that her son had not been taking his medication and she worried he might hurt himself.

Tricia Lammers said she had learned her son had purchased two guns and stored them at the home of his girlfriend’s father.

During her 10-minute testimony, it did not appear mother and son made eye contact for more than a moment.

Also called to the stand Monday was a Walmart employee who sold the AR-15 to Blaec Lammers.

Jeff Murray told the court Lammers was alone when he bought the rifle and ammunition.

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He said Lammers filled out the required paperwork, passed an FBI background check and, per store policy, had the weapon carried out by an employee, who handed Lammers the rifle in the parking lot.

Murray estimated the transaction took about 15 to 20 minutes.

A short excerpt of a video recording was played in open court. The video depicted Lammers being interviewed by at least two Bolivar police investigators.

The video showed the end of a roughly hour-and-a-half-long interview. Some of the recording was inaudible to a reporter in the audience.

During the interview, Lammers appeared to say he had intended to shoot up a Walmart. He had recently watched a movie about Columbine and read a magazine article about concealed weapon carrying. He said he had never shot a gun before and he had four boxes of ammo in two different calibers.

About his plans to shoot up a Walmart store, an officer asked Lammers if he intended to shoot employees or customers.

Lammers replied, according to Judge John Porter, whichever came up in his sights.